Seaside’s small town charmsSuccess hasn’t spoiled this unique beach communityBy Angela Wibking
The number of cotton candy-colored dwellings with fanciful gingerbread trim and turrets spiraling to the Florida sky has grown to over 300. Now at residential capacity, no new homes will be built, though there is limited room for more shops, restaurants and other businesses essential to a small town. And that is exactly what Davis intended – that this beach community be the sort of town Americans still remember and, increasingly, long for. There are quiet little streets that connect the houses with each other and to the post office, the gourmet grocery called Modica Market, the school, dozens of shops and restaurants and the town’s three pools. Since no residence is more that a quarter mile from the beach and or the central square around which the shops and eateries are clustered, Seaside is a place where people can – and actually prefer to – walk or bike rather than drive. In short Seaside is what most planned developments are not – a hometown. Despite an avalanche of publicity over the years and the throngs of visitors who crowd into the town during the summer months, Seaside has held on to its small town charms and yields them up freely to both residents and visitors alike.
There are cottages of all shapes and sizes in Seaside, each with its own delightful name. Our pale aqua and white Carriage House, nestled beside its big sister Vista del Mar, proved to be perfect for a couple. The space consists of a living/dining/kitchen area, fully stocked with everything from coffee and cappuccino makers to a VCR/television with a selection of recent film hits on video, plus a cozy bedroom and bath. Hardwood floors covered with pastel-colored rag rugs, a patchwork quilt on the bed, a porch with wooden rockers, and incredibly comfortable Swedish-designed living room chairs make the Carriage House an especially inviting retreat. You’ll be made to feel even more welcome by the fresh flowers and beach pail filled with treats (spicy peach salsa, chips, mini-croissants and jam, coffee and bottled water) that greets you on the kitchen table when you arrive. You’ll also love the envelope full of coupons for discounts at Seaside shops and even several free glasses of wine at Fermentations, the town’s wine bar and shop. Speaking of refreshment, liquid and otherwise, you’ll have lots of choices at Seaside. There are a dozen restaurants, including the excellent Bud & Alley’s (for inventive seafood dishes), Caf� Spiazzi (for great gourmet pizza), Caf� Bouzouki (for Greek fare) and 83 Central Square (for traditional fried seafood platters and burgers). You can also pick up a gourmet to-go feast from Modica Market, as well as essential supplies and groceries or have an elegant romantic dinner at Josephine’s. Satisfy your sweet tooth at Dawson’s Yogurt, which my international yogurt aficionado husband ranks among his top five, or grab a sinfully rich chocolate truffle from the Chocolate Moose on the town square. If you like your sweets a little lighter, don’t miss the fruit-flavored shaved ice treats at Frostbites or try an iced cappuccino at Caf� Spiazzi.
Around the town’s Central Square are even more shops, including a terrific independent bookstore called Sundog Books, Fernleigh Ltd. (upscale antiques and gifts) and Venus and Mars (hip and expensive men’s and women’s apparel). Be sure to check out the tiny kiosk shops that ring the square, too, for jewelry, sportswear and chocolates. Wander off the square just a block to the Ruskin Place Artist Colony and you’ll delight in browsing through the several art galleries there – or make your own piece of ceramic art at Fired Up, a pottery-painting shop. But shopping certainly isn’t the only entertainment at Seaside. There’s a free outdoor family film series in the summer (Disney’s “Mulan” and “Babe: Pig in the City” were showing during our stay) and a foreign film festival in the fall. Concerts, kids’ activities, wine festivals, croquet competitions, home tours, arts festivals, yard sales, a writer’s conference and even a Christmas parade keep Seaside humming year-round. From honeymooners to families with tiny tots or teens to retired couples, Seaside seems to have something for everyone. Summer is the busy season and rates reflect that popularity. Weekly summer cottage rates range from $1105 for a unit that sleeps two to $4500 for a cottage that can accommodate 15. Average temperatures in the spring are 68 degrees, 70 degrees in the fall and 56 degrees in the winter, making the town a popular destination even in the off-seasons (rental rates are less, too). Getting to Seaside is a snap. Fly into Panama City, Ft. Walton or Pensacola and you’ll have a 60-90 minute drive to Seaside. The town is also 450 miles from Nashville, 140 from Tallahassee, 700 from Dallas, 300 from Atlanta, and 260 from New Orleans. For more information on Seaside, call 888-SEASIDE (732-7433) or visit the web site (where you can preview the cottages available for nightly or weekly rental) at www.seasidefl.com. by Angela Wibking |
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In December 1981 two pastel-colored frame cottages were completed on an 80-acre tract of land about 40 miles west of Panama City. The homes were the beginning of Robert Davis’ dream planned community called Seaside. Nearly two decades later Davis’ dream is not merely intact, it is flourishing.
We’ve been lucky enough to explore the charms of Seaside on several occasions over the years, sampling many of the town’s unique lodging options. We’ve stayed at Josephine’s, the town’s luxury bed-and-breakfast inn, in the whimsical modern apartments called Dreamland Heights and in the individual cottages. We’ve watched the town grow and have marveled at how it managed to retain its appeal in the face of international architectural acclaim and Hollywood stardom (the Jim Carrey hit “The Truman Show” was shot entirely on location at Seaside). On our most recent visit to Seaside the town was filled to capacity, with nary a cottage or room to be had. Yet as we sat on the upstairs porch of our 1-bedroom cottage we were struck as always by how blissfully quiet the town becomes at twilight. Guests and residents drift in from the beach and head off to dine or enjoy a free outdoor film or concert on the town square. Kids and adults stroll or ride bicycles until dark falls and then everyone in the little town by the sea seems to collectively fall asleep.
Don’t worry a bit about the calories: There’s so much to do at Seaside you can always burn off what you consume. Swim laps or just dog paddle in one of the town’s three beautiful pools. For pool-side peace and quiet, we loved the elegant round Deck Pool around the corner from the Carriage House that’s reserved for adults only but on a previous stay we also found the much larger Westside Pool to be just as inviting. Frankly, we’ve never encountered a crowd at the pools here, probably because families prefer to hang out on the gorgeous white sand beaches just a short walk from every cottage. You can also rent bicycles to tool around the town, play croquet or tennis or workout at the town fitness center, which offers an array of classes.
But the most popular diversion at Seaside is surely shopping. The town’s first commercial area, the open-air market known as Per-spi-cas-ity, is still its most unique. Patterned after a bazaar, the market sells all manner of festive ladies apparel and accessories. Shops that surround the market include Sue Vaneer’s (Seaside logo items), 4 Kids (pint-sized Seaside attire), Surfer Girl (women's beach fashions), Peepers & Timekeepers (sunglasses and watches) and Aerial Dynamics (kites, windsocks and flags). You’ll also find Fitness Fetish (sports and workout attire), FABS (swimwear), Patchouli’s (heavenly soaps and other personal care items) located here.